Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 203

Last year, Gibson and Gene Simmons announced a partnership for the G² line of instruments across the Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer. Now the fruits of their labor are being realized in the first product from the line with the G² Thunderbird Bass.

Today marks the centennial of the birth of the late jazz legend Charles Mingus. We’re celebrating today with a full concert of his sextet live in Oslo during his European tour in 1964. The band is one of his most famous lineups.

Grateful Dead founder Phil Lesh has unveiled a string of summer dates with his band Phil Lesh and Friends. The legendary bassist will have a host of special guests during his concerts, which will focus on the West Coast before heading east.

Ben Carr, aka Carrtoons, is a bassist and producer who channels old-school vibes into modern grooves. His wildly popular Instagram provides glimpses into his sound, and the bassist has now released a new solo album, “Homegrown”. We caught up with Ben to get the scoop.

The Zappa Band will be back on the road with a headlining tour in June. The band consists of Frank Zappa band alumni Mike Keneally and Ray White, Robert Martin, and Scott Thunes. They’re joined by Joe Travers and Jamie Kime.

Krist Novoselic is completely off social media. As such, he was great a keeping his newest album and band a surprise. 3rd Secret includes Jillian Raye, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Bubba Dupree, and Jennifer Johnson.

Harley Benton has unveiled a new set of basses with the JJ Series. The four-string JJ-450P and five-string JJ-550P each come in four finishes: blue, natural, white, and sunburst.

A legendary luthier has left us as Rick Turner, whose work with Alebmic revolutionized the bass world, has passed away. He was 78 years old. The news was shared by his children Ethan and June.

This week we’re checking out the “Priscilla” bass by Offbeat Guitars, which comes in an Evening Tide Teal finish over its distressed pine body. The cool factor is pumped up even more with a solid brass pickguard and dome knobs.

Les Claypool is keeping plenty busy this month. In addition to the new Primus EP and their “A Tribute to Kings” tour, Claypool has announced dates with his Bastard Jazz project.

Ernie Ball Music Man unveiled a signature bass for Dream Theater’s John Myung back in 2020, and now they’re updating it with a new finish. The John Myung Bongo 6 HH now comes in a Platinum Silver color palette to complement the original black finish.

Aerosmith is celebrating their 50th anniversary with the release of “Aerosmith – 1971: The Road Starts Hear”. The eight tracks are the earliest known recordings of the band and showcase the raw energy of their youth.